Ontario’s Stay-at-Home order may be extended to get COVID-19 cases under control.
Health Minister Christine Elliott reportedly told journalists at Queen’s Park on Monday that COVID-19 cases need to decrease before the government can lift restrictions.
She said the province has been advised to stick with the Stay-at-Home order, adding it’s not yet time to ease up.
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Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontario’s associate chief medical officer of health, said Thursday that she’d be “surprised” if things open up in May.
“Certainly, we don’t want to open prematurely and end up with a fourth wave,” she said. “That would be the last thing we need.”
The Stay-at-Home order was put in place on April 8. It was initially supposed to last for four weeks but was extended to six weeks on advice from public health experts. The order is currently set to expire on May 19.
Ontario officials have not yet announced whether they’ll be extending the order.
“All orders made under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, including the Stay-at-Home Order, are renewable by Cabinet for 14-day increments,” Ministry of the Solicitor General spokesperson Stephen Warner told Daily Hive by email. “No decision has been made at this time regarding further extensions.”
COVID-19 cases in Ontario have come down from their peak in mid-April when the seven-day rolling average crossed 4,300 cases per day. But daily case counts are still high, with Ontario counting more than 2,700 new infections on Monday.
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